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Saturday, May 05, 2007
I am feeling great today!
I just got back from the Cadillac swap-n-shop. I went there specificly to take the Amateur Extra class license exam. In my case, I only needed to pass element 4, and I passed it easily. I now have the Amateur Extra license authorization temporarily until my new license certificate arrives.
If you have been thinking of getting into ham radio, now is the time. The morse code requirement has been dropped. Morse code is still used by hams, just no testing to get the license. Most countries around the world have also dropped it from their test schedules too.
For more info on becoming a ham go to: www.arrl.org
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Wednesday, March 14, 2007
The Cadillac Swap-n-Shop coming soon, May 5, 2007
This gives me enough time to do a little studying for my Extra class license test...
Cadillac - Wexaukee Amateur Radio Club.
May 5, 2007 - Seller Setup: 6 AM. - Doors open to the public 8 AM to Noon
Cadillac Junior High School, 500 Chestnut Street.
Nearest main road is Hwy 131 (Business). Chestnut crosses Hwy 131 as Pine Street. Pine Street turns into Chestnut Street as one travels to the west from Hwy 131.
Vendors, VE sessions, prizes, QCWA Meetings.
Talk-in: 146.980 (no PL tone rqrd).
Admission: at-the-door $5. Tables: $10.
For more info, contact Alton McConnell, NU8L, 231-862-3774, or email: amcconnell3(at)hotmail
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Wednesday, January 17, 2007
new antenna (to me)
Folded dipoles have been around a while but I have never used one before. I was looking for antennas that are wide band and was going to build a coaxial double bazooka type for wide band width on a single band when I stumbled across the B&W folded dipole. They advertize that their 90 foot version will cover 1.8 to 30 mhz with 2:1 swr or less.
Hmmm The magic has to be in that termination (or whatever it is) that is in the middle of the top half of the folded dipole. I have seen folded dipoles using 300 ohm tv wire that were only single band and even then not particularly broad band.
I wonder if that is some sort of non-inductive high power terminating resistor? They use a balun at the feed point to connect RG8 or other 50 ohm coax direct to it and it is opposite the termination.
Supposedly the military, embassies, and other government groups use these antennas with frequency agile radios all over the world all the time. Time for me to take a closer look. An antenna that I do not have to tweek a tuner with a freq change sounds like one I want to try with my Tentec Jupiter no-tune-up radio. This is supposed to be a quieter antenna than a standard dipole too, less static and such.
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